Bangladesh’s power generation sector achieved a technological milestone when the country’s first HA-class gas turbine began commercial operations on April 26, 2024. Summit Group’s Meghnaghat II power plant introduced efficiency levels previously unavailable in Bangladesh’s energy infrastructure, demonstrating how advanced turbine technology can reduce fuel consumption while increasing electrical output.
General Electric’s 9HA.01 gas turbine powers this 583-megawatt (net capacity) combined cycle facility. The generator, manufactured in Belfort, France, is capable of delivering up to 63.7% net combined-cycle efficiency in the 50 Hz segment. This efficiency rating establishes new performance benchmarks for power generation in Bangladesh, where traditional plants typically operate at significantly lower efficiency levels.
Bringing Record-Setting Efficiency to Bangladesh
GE’s HA technology holds two world records for efficiency in both 60 Hz and 50 Hz segments of the global power market, with installations achieving over 63% efficiency at facilities in Japan and France. The Meghnaghat II installation brings this record-setting technology to Bangladesh for the first time, marking what Summit Group founder Muhammed Aziz Khan describes as a fundamental shift in the country’s power generation capabilities.
The plant’s advanced materials and simplified air-cooling architecture enable rapid startup capabilities. Ramp-up to full load occurs within 12 minutes in simple cycle mode, providing operational flexibility crucial for a Bangladeshi developing energy grid that must respond to substantial demand fluctuations throughout the day.
“Bangladesh is still one of the lowest per capita consumers of electricity in the Indian subcontinent while GDP growth per capita-wise, the highest,” he said. “Summit wants to support Bangladesh’s growth trajectory by providing the citizens with primary infrastructure.”
Summit Group operates as Bangladesh’s largest independent power producer, with facilities totaling over 2,000 megawatts of capacity. Building the country’s first independent power plant in 1997, the company established a foundation for private sector involvement in power generation that has expanded significantly over subsequent decades.
Combined Cycle Technology
The Meghnaghat II plant operates as a combined cycle facility, using both gas and steam turbines to extract maximum energy from fuel inputs. Waste heat from the gas turbine powers a steam turbine through a heat recovery steam generator, producing up to 50% more electricity from the same fuel compared to traditional simple-cycle plants.
This configuration enables the facility to produce electricity with marginal costs as low as 3.17 taka per kilowatt-hour when operating on natural gas, significantly below costs for diesel-based generation, which typically exceed 37 taka per unit. Such efficiency gains translate directly into reduced fuel consumption and lower emissions per megawatt of electricity generated.
Khan emphasized the economic significance of this efficiency improvement. “The combined cycle power plant is going to be one of the most efficient power stations in the world which will ensure the best and efficient use of natural gas,” he said.
International Partnership and Technology Transfer
As one of the largest private sector power investments in Bangladesh, this project has established Summit Group and GE in a joint venture structure for development and operation. The Summit Meghnaghat II Power Company Limited operates as an 80-20 partnership between Summit Group and GE. It is an example of how international technology partnerships can facilitate advanced infrastructure development in emerging markets like Bangladesh.
Summit Group’s relationship with GE extends over more than a decade, with GE turbines powering multiple Summit facilities including the 335-megawatt Meghnaghat I plant and the 341-megawatt Bibiyana II combined cycle plant. This established partnership provided the foundation for introducing HA technology to Bangladesh’s power sector.
GE provided a turnkey solution for the project, handling design, equipment supply, installation, and commissioning work. Its commitment to 22 years of maintenance and repair services is meant to ensure sustained efficiency and performance throughout the plant’s operational life.
The total equipment package includes one 9HA.01 gas turbine, one three-pressure level heat recovery steam generator with reheater, one steam turbine generator, condensers, and balance of plant solutions. The integration of these technologies is designed for optimal performance across all plant systems while maintaining the efficiency standards that define HA-class technology.
More than 1,100 workers participated in construction phases, with project teams implementing safety measures throughout the installation process despite COVID-19 constraints during 2021-2022.
Performance Standards and Grid Integration
Enough electricity to supply approximately 700,000 Bangladeshi households flows from the Meghnaghat II facility, contributing significantly to national grid capacity. Dual-fuel capability produces 583 megawatts on natural gas and 541 megawatts when using high-speed diesel as backup fuel, providing operational flexibility during gas supply constraints.
Grid integration occurs through existing 230kV transmission lines and 230/132kV substations at the Meghnaghat site, leveraging infrastructure established for the original Meghnaghat I facility. This approach reduces transmission development costs while ensuring reliable power delivery to Bangladesh’s national grid.
Muhammed Aziz Khan noted the project’s role within broader infrastructure development. “We look forward to using GE’s advanced HA technology for the first time in Bangladesh to generate affordable and reliable electricity,” he said when the plant became operational last year
Implications for Bangladesh’s Energy Sector
Successful deployment of HA technology positions Bangladesh among countries utilizing the most advanced gas turbine systems available globally. And efficiency standards achieved at Meghnaghat II provide a benchmark for future power development projects, potentially influencing technology selection across the sector.
Summit Group’s experience with HA technology integration offers insights applicable to other developing markets facing similar energy infrastructure challenges.
Higher efficiency generation reduces the number of plants required to meet demand growth, potentially optimizing land use and transmission infrastructure requirements while minimizing environmental impacts per unit of electricity produced.
Khan emphasized the broader development implications: “The phenomenal growth of Bangladesh in the last decade has established Bangladesh as a role model,” he said in 2019 after the signing of the project’s Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with BPDB. “Summit is proud to have played a role in it. With today’s 583 MW project, Summit embarks upon investing four billion dollars in the next five years to help eradicate poverty, create employment and support Bangladesh to achieve SDGs.”
And future fuel flexibility allows this plant’s configuration to burn natural gas and hydrogen mixtures when hydrogen becomes economically viable. This capability positions the facility to adapt to evolving fuel markets and environmental regulations without requiring major equipment modifications.
The project could increase Bangladesh’s attractiveness for international power sector investment, potentially encouraging additional technology partnerships and infrastructure development.
Deepesh Nanda, CEO of GE Gas Power South Asia in 2019, noted the broader regional implications: “GE is proud of the long-term collaboration with the Summit Group and remains committed to offer a wide range of powering solutions that can help Bangladesh leapfrog growth barriers in its journey to become the fastest growing economy in the world.”